Mask – Bronze – Tikar – Cameroon

Beautiful bronze mask from the Tikar tribe of Cameroon. The horns of the mask are in the form of two roosters.  The mask is created by the lost wax technique. This work begins by modeling a wax sculpture; then, one makes a mold of the sculpture by slightly coating it with refractory material: The Banko. After drying, the whole is heated, the wax melts and flows through the “empty” mold that is provided and arranged for this purpose. At the right moment, the empty wax mold is filled with liquid metal. The wax and bronze transformation is complete. After solidification and cooling of the bronze (brass by Western standards), the mold is broken to extract the sculpture. After which a long and elaborate work follows.

Object:	Mask
Ethnic group:	Tikar
Country:	Cameroon
Material:	Bronze
Estimated period:	Second half 20th century
Sold with stand:	No
Dimensions:	25x20x8 cm
Weight:	1200 gram
Condition:	Good condition, used with some signs of wear